Disposable absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins and pantiliners are known. Typically such disposable absorbent articles have a fluid permeable body-side liner called a topsheet, a fluid impermeable garment-side liner called a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet in a layered relationship.
Disposable absorbent articles having the basic design described above also comprise such devices as disposable diapers, adult incontinence pads and devices, pull-up training pants, and the like. Other components such as tape tabs, side tabs (i.e., “wings”), panty adhesives, release strips, and the like, but the basic necessary structure remains: a topsheet, a core, and a backsheet in a layered relationship. This structure requires, at minimum, three materials to be provided to a process for making disposable absorbent articles. Topsheet and backsheet materials are typically provided as roll stock and fed into a converting process as continuous webs of material. Absorbent cores can likewise be provided in the form of a continuous web, or provided as discrete core members by known methods.
In known methods, therefore, converting lines in which webs of materials are converted into finished products at commercial line speeds can be very complex as each of the components must be precisely placed, joined (e.g., via adhesive bonding) and cut at high speeds. The complexity of the process limits product production rates, thereby contributing to higher product costs.
Furthermore, each layer, e.g., topsheet, core, and backsheet, adds a degree of stiffness to the finished product. The stiffness of each component is compounded in the finished article due to the necessary addition of adhesives to join together the necessary component. While certain articles, such as sanitary napkins and pantiliners benefit from increased flexibility, the adhesives necessary to join the various components of such catamenial pads often render the pads relatively still and uncomfortable.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a more flexible absorbent pad, such as a feminine hygiene pad, including catamenial pads, such as sanitary napkins or pantiliners.
Further, it would be desirable to have a simplified pad construction such that the number of component layers is reduced.
Finally, it would be desirable to have a simplified pad having no adhesive present to combine the component layers.